All shook up

More than 1,400 earthquakes were recorded in Oklahoma in 2011, by far the most in state history, including a 5.6 magnitude earthquake, the largest in the state since 1952.

“The spike is very real,” said Austin Holland, seismologist at the Oklahoma Geological Survey.

“We have had about a 100 fold increase in the number of earthquakes each year and it’s not just because of additional instrumentation or anything like that, it’s a real change in the rate of earthquakes,” Holland added.

Earthquakes occur due to breaking or movement of tectonic plates deep beneath the earth’s surface.

Recently, scientists have begun to link the controversial process of hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” done by oil and gas companies to the increase in earthquakes. Fracturing has been around since the 1940s, as companies drill deep into the earth spewing a mixture of water and sand into shale rock, allowing the ingestion of natural gas. This method is practiced around the world but it is also banned in several countries, most notably France.

A recent article by Karen Keranen published in the geoscience journal Geology, suggests that there is more evidence connecting drilling to the rise in Oklahoma earthquakes.

 “I do not think there is any good evidence which can link fracturing to earthquakes” said Dr. Chandra Rai, director of the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering at the University of Oklahoma.

He believes that more research needs to be done before conclusions are drawn and before companies need to re-evaluate their drilling techniques.

“In the state of Oklahoma hydraulic fracturing is not new; thousands and thousands of wells have been fractured. This process is very old,” he added.

Seismologists including Austin Holland are not entirely convinced that oil and gas companies are culprits in the rise in Oklahoma earthquakes. He believes that it is a natural process and that drilling may only be accelerating the process.

“Drilling itself probably does not have anything to do with it. Oklahoma is being squeezed east to west and it’s an old plate tectonic boundary so we have a lot of old existing faults,” Holland said.

While the debate continues, Holland says that no matter the cause, Oklahomans should expect to be shaken a little more for the next several years.

“There is a noticeable change in the amount of earthquakes in the central United States at least. I see no reason that we’re going to like all of the sudden stop having earthquakes. I would expect perhaps people feeling more earthquakes,” he said.

For further information about earthquakes or what to do during an earthquake visit http://www.okgeosurvey1.gov/.

Earthquakes may be linked to hydraulic fracturing

[VIDEO: Chris Corbaz, 2:33]

New scientific evidence suggests that hydraulic fracturing done by oil and gas companies are triggering an outbreak in Oklahoma earthquakes.

Ernest Ezuego inaugurated as student body president

(VIDEO: Chris Corbaz :46)

In a packed Beaird Lounge on Monday afternoon, Ernest Ezeugo officially became the new student body president taking the oath of office next to his running mate Madeline Grunewald.

"I was very nervous but you know it's one of those things where I'm glad it's over and obviously when my speech was done I finally got inaugurated. I feel like a president now," Ezeugo said.

Ezeugo and Grunewald are replacing Joe Sangirardi and Rainey Sewell, who passed several important pieces of legislation this past year. One of the most notorious being raising the minimum GPA for students holding leadership positions from a 2.5 to a 3.0 at OU. Ezeugo admitted during his speech that he has some big shoes to fill, but looks forward to the challenge.

"Our aim obviously is to make great things happen for as many people as possible but as long as we are influencing one person or positively impacting one person we are doing our job," Ezeugo said.

It was a little over two weeks ago that Ernest and Madeline defeated their opponents with ease winning 61% of the student vote according to the OU Daily. Focus for them now shifts on fighting the increasing costs of higher education.

"I am also ready to get everything smoothed out, make our progress on increasing costs of higher education," Ezeugo said.

For more information on SGA or Ernest and Madeline please visit www.uosa.ou.edu. Student Congress meetings are open to the public at 7 p.m. on Tuesday nights.

Student Government Chair rejects filibuster idea

The parliamentary procedure of filibustering will not be adopted anytime soon within OU Student Government despite being allowed at the federal level.

“I would not support the filibuster in SGA. I believe that it serves a valuable purpose in the US Senate, where it forces the majority to at least pause and consider the views of the minority. Nothing we do (SGA) is so controversial that the minority needs a filibuster to protect itself,” said Sean Bender, Chair of the Undergraduate student congress.

The process of filibustering became prominent in the United States Senate in the 19^th century for senators wanting to prevent voting on bills. It has been in the news recently, as congressmen including Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe, have warned of filibustering any new gun legislation.

 A filibuster is any attempt to block or delay Senate action on a piece of legislation through long periods of debate, procedural motions or by another other obstructive action according to the senate website.

This process of delay can last for many hours. The most famous example of this is when former South Carolina senator J. Strom Thurmond talked on the floor for 24 hours and 18 minutes against Civil Rights legislation in 1957. To prevent such proceedings to take place, a simple majority vote will end a period of debate. This method is called “cloture”. Filibustering does not exist in the House of Representatives.

Despite there being no filibuster within the undergraduate student congress there are ways to block a bill explains Bender.

“Under Roberts Rules, someone is yielded a specific amount of time to speak. Most of these times are actually preordained either in Roberts Rules or in our internal Standing Rules. The only way to filibuster would be to somehow convince the body to extend time for questions, debate, or amendments indefinitely, and then start speaking. The downside to this is that someone could make a motion, only requiring a simple majority to pass to advance to debate at any time.”

For more information on SGA and its procedures visit www.uosa.ou.edu.

Grinding on the mountain and in the classroom

Brandon Rainbolt is a very successful student-athlete at the University of Oklahoma. However, you will most likely not hear about his achievements at the next big game, or read about him in the local paper. Rainbolt is a semi-professional snowboarder. This requires him to miss class very often which can be difficult to arrange with professors and the university, because this is not an NCAA sanctioned sport.

There are over 430,000 students-athletes in this country that participate in an NCAA sanctioned sport according to NCAA.org. The University of Oklahoma department alone sponsors 21 varsity sports consisting more than 600 student-athletes according to soonersports.com.

These athletes, like Rainbolt not only have to work in the classroom but also have relentless schedules associated with their sport. Varsity sports are provost approved university sponsored activities; therefore athletes are given an automatic excused absence for competition.

“The current provost, Dr. Nancy Mergler generally approves absences by varsity athletes for varsity competition which is restrictive, with the expectation that the faculty will be as kind to help everybody out as much as they can,” said Associate Provost Gregory Heist.

This means that other athletes including cheer, pom and even band members are not guaranteed an excused absence and have to get approved by their professors about missing class due to events.

In addition to an excused absence, athletes are also offered personal tutors in all subjects to help assist them in classes they may be struggling in due to these athletic events. This system has proven successful according to Brooke Clevenger, tutorial coordinator with athletic academic services, as overall student-athlete GPA has increased above a 3.0.

 Rainbolt works extensively with his teachers to mediate when assignments are due and how he can make up tests if needed, as he often misses a week of class at a time.

“I’m either all out practicing for snowboarding or I’m all out studying. I’m in my room studying consistently to try to keep up for a class and not fall behind,” he said.

 Though he struggled with managing both activities, he is now learning to become successful at both. He also receives a plethora of support from friends and fraternity brothers.

“He has a big group that supports him and we will all help him in any way we can,” said Ian Hammond, Rainbolt’s pledge brother.

Brandon’s successes at upcoming competitions will be the deciding factor on his decision to turn pro and take some time off from school. He would not be the first snowboarder to do that as Kimmi Fasani did the same in 2009.

As her travel and competition schedule increased she turned to taking online classes, ultimately earning a degree in marketing. She explained her decision in a University of Phoenix press release.

“With my travel demands and time on the road, achieving my bachelor’s online was the only certainty for completing my degree,” she said.

History professor Brandi Hilton-Hagemann did offer Brandon some advice if he does choose to remain a snowboarder and a student.

 “He must make it very clear from the beginning of class what his situation and how he hopes to mediate these circumstances,” she said.

For more questions about the university attendance policy please call the Office of the Provost (405) 325-3221. 

Taking flight with Brandon Rainbolt

While walking down the stuffy halls of Bizzell Library, it was no surprise that I saw Brandon Rainbolt typing away at his computer. He is hard at work trying to finish his expository writing paper that is due a week earlier then the rest of his classmates. Why? He will be high in the Rocky Mountains competing against some of the best athletes in America on the day it's actually due. Brandon is a semi-profesional snowboarder who often has to be away from class for a full week in order to train and prepare for his competitions. "I am in my room studying consistently for a class just to try to keep up and not fall behind," he said. He admits he struggled at first, but is now learning to effectively balance the two and become successful at both. However, he will soon have to make a decision of whether or not to pursue snowboarding as a career and leave school. 
Things are looking up for Brandon on the slopes making this decision even tougher. He competed at the X-Games Railjam, will be competing at nationals and is looking to sign with several sponsors. "I am basically basing the rest of my college life off of the next couple months of snowboarding," Rainbolt said. 
Ian Hammond, one of Rainbolt's closest friends and pledge brother will support him no matter what the outcome of his decision is. “I just want him to do whatever makes him happy, ultimately in life you have to do whatever makes you happy,” Hammond said.

(VIDEO: Chris Corbaz 1:26)

Internet surveillance on the rise

Chris Soghoian (far right) talks about Internet Privacy with students Tuesday. PHOTO: Chris Corbaz

Addressing an auditorium full of students at Gaylord Hall on Tuesday, technologist Chris Soghoian warned students about the increasing surveillance being done by companies through the Internet.

Soghoian, who was recently called “the most prominent of a new breed of activist technology researcher,” by The Economist magazine, shed light on how companies are intruding on its users.

“Companies to whom we entrust our private data, the Googles, the Facebooks; all of these companies are legally required by law to provide surveillance systems to the government,” explained Soghoian.

Many people are not aware that surveillance is being done on a massive scale. Companies do not advertise this feature in their service, so essentially consumers are unaware of the privacy intrusion that can be done.

However, it is not just these companies that have the potential to gain access into your personal life.

“The government also gets to come along for the ride too. So I really wanted to get information about this and expose it,” said Soghoian.

Mary Clancy, a freshman pre communication disorders major at OU, was not aware of this surveillance. “I was surprised by how much access others have to what I would have previously considered private and protected,” said Clancy.

She added that she will be more careful about what she posts online from now on.

 Soghoian was brought in as a part of the Future of Privacy in a Socially Networked World put on by Gaylord College.